Bluey, an Emmy-winning animated series about anthropomorphized cattle dogs and their family. Has been a huge ratings success since its debut on ABC in 2018. Bluey is about Blue Heeler, a six-year-old girl. Who lives with her younger sister Bingo and their playful parents Bandit and Chilli. We are conducting research on Australian Children’s Television Cultures to find out how audiences interact with Australian children’s programming.
Bluey was the most popular TV show that parents wanted to watch with their kids. According to over 700 adult responses. Bluey was praise for its Australian setting, irreverent humour, and family-orient themes. This is a time when other kids’ content like the YouTube channel Coco melon’s dead-eyed. Nursey rhymes seem to offer only generic, computer-generated distractions. Many adults, even those without children, said that they watched Bluey.
Located In Brisbane Bluey
Bluey, which is located in Brisbane, was described by one respondent as representative of the idealise Australian ethos, relax, curious, hard-working. An early childhood educator stressed that Australian children need Australian shows. As a parent explained. Children love to be able to identify familiar landmarks with current issues.
Bluey viewers find the family dynamic and the games Bluey, Bingo, and their resourceful parents to be particularly relatable. Inspired a mother in Australia to create 50 Days of, a guideline for home activities poker pelangi.
Bluey enjoys playing Daddy Robot, where a malfunctioning Bandit teaches Bluey, Bingo and Bluey the importance of cleaning up. Rug Island, a children-only paradise that the Heelers have created in their backyard, is Mount Mumandad, where Bluey and Bingo climb on their exhausted parents after they’ve fallen to the couch.
Another aspect is the humour. One respondent described it as being full of Australian cultural nuances. One parent pointed out, Bluey gets parents perfectly, so we love watching it so that we can guide our children towards it.
You Can Read On Several Levels
It can be enjoy on many levels. This is why the show can also appeal to adults. Bluey father, Bandit, discussed his conflicted feelings regarding having a vasectomy and how he felt with Bandit in a Father’s Day episode. Bandit said, I’m eager to get it done. But, Chilli his wife wants to keep her options available. The adult moment in this cartoon for children generated much discussion via social media. One fan tweeted
I am a mature man who wonders if a cartoon-dog family will have a child. This is a strange life. Early audience responses to our survey agree that provides a snapshot of Australia, from election day barbecues to Queenslander homes and backyards. Many people were quick to point that this snapshot does not show the whole picture.
Bluey has been lightly criticised for his perceived lack of diversity. The show centres on a hetero-normative family living in a world that is largely populated with able-bodied characters. They have Anglo-Australian accents and names. One respondent pointed out that the show was about a hetero-normative nuclear family.
Bluey is a great show that reflects Australian culture. However, as a gay man, I would love to see more LGBT representation on kids’ TV. As a child, it would be great to know that you are valid. However, the majority of early participants in this study felt that kids’ television was reflecting more of Australia.
Little J & Big Cuz, Jarjums and Jarjums were two of the children’s shows that received praise for their greater diversity in representation. National babysitter Play School was praise for its commitment to hosting hosts from diverse backgrounds. The Wiggles’ new line up was also lauded.
Globalizing Bush-Wees
One respondent wonder whether the humour and references in Bluey lost on viewers outside of Australia. Bluey is now reaching an international audience since 2019, when the Walt Disney Company bought the international broadcasting rights.
Although some minor accommodations were made for international viewers, capsicums became peppers, in the UK, and a gag with an emaciated pony was created for Disney Junior, the show has not been watered down. It is now taking bilbies to global audiences.
The local enthusiasm for Bluey is encouraging, even though the commercial broadcaster restrictions that use to protect local children’s TV have been remove and international shows such as Paw Patrol and Peppa Pig are available by simply tapping on a smart phone.
One respondent noted with pride that he knew of friends who live in the US and whose children watch Bluey. They say their kids speak in Aussie accents. Another said, Bluey will always be iconic not only to children but also their parents, not only in Australia, but around the globe.